The new drive is now based on a 3.5-inch internal hard drive and is therefore much bigger than the Rugged All-Terrain, measuring 8.46 inches by 5.11 inches by 1.73 inches. It also has an increased capacity of 1TB.

While 1TB is large, it's not large enough, considering 1.5TB and 2TB internal hard drives are getting popular nowadays. Nonetheless, the Rugged LX is the only external hard drive that comes with layers of protection and offers this much storage.

The Rugged LX supports the SATA 2 standard and offers speed up to 80MBps when used with its eSATA connection or 30MBps when used with its USB 2.0 connection. Unlike the Rugged All-Terrain, the Rugged LX is not bus-powered and needs a separate adapter, making it less convenient to use on the go.

The drive comes with backup software for both Mac and PCs and is probably best for outdoor and hazardous environment such as construction sites though its nice design fit quite well on your desk, too.

About the author

CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
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